Cash register



M. GARBELL CASH REGISTER Feb. 1, 1938.

Filed March 3, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 1, 1938. M' GARBELL 2,107,033

CASH REGISTER Filed March 3, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 1, 1938. GARBELL 2,107,033

CASH REGISTER Filed March 5, 19:56 4 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Feb. 1, 1938' PATENT OFFICE CASH REGISTER Max Garbeli, Chicago, 111., assignor to Victor Adding Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation oi Delaware Application March 3, 1936, Serial No. 66,881

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a cash register and has more particular reference to a type employing the mechanism of an adding and recording machine, which performs the setting up and printing operations, and to which mechanism a plurality of visible indicators are operatively connected, and which are commensurate with the value of the keys depressed.

To properly define the position of this invention in the art, an adding and recording machine is employed, which has the usual keyboard provided with keys'arranged in banks, and the depression of any one of which keys controls the movements of a rack carried for reciprocating movements below each bank of keys and which is operatively connected to the actuating mechanism of the machine. The machine has a printing mechanism adjustable upon the movement of the racks, which mechanism is more fully described in my pending application, Ser. No. 56,465, filed December 28, 1935, for Printing mechanism.

The invention resides chiefly in arranging indicators rearwardly and upwardly of the printing mechanism and operatively connected in a novel 25 manner to the reciprocating racks, to cause a pivotal movement of the indicators upon the movement of the racks to indicate the value of the keys depressed. The connections are arranged to permit of their disengagement from the indicators and to be bodily moved with a door provided in the rear wall of the shell enclosing the mechanism, to render the interior thereof accessi ble for placing or replacing a record roll and a supply roll carried therein, which have their free ends trained over a platen,

The chief objects of this invention are the provision of indicators attached to an adding machine in a novel manner to provide a cash register, and having connecting parts operable from the reciprocating racks of the machine whereby the indicators will be actuated simultaneously upon the movement thereof, and wherein the keyboard of the adding machine is used for selecting the desired racks and the characters of a series of spring-resisting indicators differentially moved in fixed paths, whereby in one stroke of the actuator of the adding machine, the selected characters of the indicators are positioned in a horizontal line and retained in the position to which they have been moved against their springs; to provide improved means for releasing the moved indicators and permit of their springimpelled return upon the starting stroke of the actuator.

Referring to the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved cash register.

Figure 2 is a medial longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal partial detail sectional view similar to Figure 2, showing a changed position of the printing mechanism and the connecting means for actuating the indicators.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal'partial sectional view indicating the rear wall in open position and with the connecting means for actuating the indicators carried therewith.

Figure 5 is a partial detail cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail cross-sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2, illustrating the connecting means for actuating the indicators.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of an indicator showing its actuating means; and

Figure 8 is a partial detail perspective view of the retaining means for the indicator and its releasable mechanism.

The reference numeral l0 designates the keyboard of the adding machine, which serves as the keyboard of the cash register and which has a plurality of depressible keys ll arranged in banks and provided with the stems 12 that extend through the keyboard l0 and which are adapted to control the movements of a rack l3 in each bank, when depressed. The racks it are each retained in normal locked position by means of a lock member ll which is adapted to be released therefrom upon the depression of a key in the bank.

The racks l3 are each operatively connected to the actuating mechanism A of the machine by means of an arm B, fixed thereto, that has a link C extending therefrom and connected to an arm D arranged for rocking movements therewith on a shaft I5. The upper end of the arms D carry a shaft E, to which a plurality of tension springs F are secured, and which have their other ends secured at G to a rack i3 for yieldingly driving the same upon the movement of the actuator shaft A.

Each of the racks l3 are operatively connected with a sector l6 by means of a link I! pivotally connected to the rack 13, at l8, and which has its other end pivotally connected to a spider l9 at 20. The spider l 9 is pivotally carried on a transverse shaft 2| supported in the side walls 22 of the machine, and has a link 23 pivoted thereon, at 24, and which extends upwardly and is pivoted at 25 to the sector It.

The sector It is pivotally supported at 26a on a supporting arm 26 that is pivotally carried on a transversely extending shaft 21 and is secured in locked position by means of a cam arm 28 and a dog 29, which are pivotally carried on a transverse shaft 30 supported in the side walls 22. The cam arm 28 is moved to effect the release of the supporting arm 26, by movement of the spider l9, upon the movement of the rack l3, by means oi an arm 3| which has a roller 32 thereon, engaging the cam surface 33 of the cam arm 28.

The arm 3I of the spider I9 is operatively connected to the indicators 34 by means of a link 35 connecting a rocker arm 34 that is carried on a transversely extending shaft 37. supported in the side walls 22.

A depending leg 38 of the rockable member 39 is slidably connected with a horizontally disposed link 39, by means of a pin 40, which extends into an elongated slot opening H in the link 39. The link 39 extends rearwardly and has a tension spring 42 fixed thereto and to across-member 43 v and serves to normally and yieldingly retain the end 39a of the link 39 against the cross-member. Adjacent the end 39a, the link 39 is pivotally connected at 44 to a leg 45 of a bell-crank 48, that is pivotally carried for rocking movements on a shaft 41 fixed in the side walls 22, and has its other leg 48 pivotally connected at 49 to an upwardly directed link 59. The upper portion of the link 50 carries a headed stud H which is detachably connected into the bifurcated portion 52 of the segment 53.

The segments 53 are pivotally carried on a shaft 54 and are each in meshing engagement with a gear 55 fixed to an indicator 34, and are carried as a unit therewith, on a transversely extending shaft 56, supported in the side walls 22.

The indicators 34 are positioned in the upper rearward end of the cash register and are each provided with a gear 55 secured to one side thereof and which is normally in meshing engagement with a segment 53. The indicators 34 are each provided with a torsion spring 51 that surrounds the shaft 56 and which has one end 59 secured thereto, and has its other end 60 secured to the wall 59 of the indicator. The torsion spring 51 urges the indicator 34 in one direction and through the medium of the gear 55 secured thereto, the segment 53 will be carried against a? stop 6| that extends the entire width and below the series of indicators and which is secured to the side walls 22. The stop GI serves as the normal limit stop for the zero position of the indicators.

Each of the indicators 34 is provided with a series of duplicate characters thereon, from zero to 9, arranged in diametrically opposed relation with each other on the periphery of the indicator, which provides for a like character to appear on the indicators when viewed from either the front or the back of the machine. The indicators, when viewed from the back of the machine must be read from right to left, while the indicators, when viewed from the front of the machine, are read from left to right.

Asthus far described, it will be noted that when an amount is to be recorded, the selected keys I I are depressed and the stems I2 thereof will extend into the path of movement of a coacting rack I3, and the movement of the key will effect a movement of the lock member I4 to release the coacting rack I3 for movement with the actuator shaft A. When the actuator shaft A is rocked counter-clockwise, (Figs. 2 and 3), the released racks I3 will be yieldingly carried thereby through the medium of the arms B and D and the springs F, until the released racks I3 are arrested by the depressed keys I I. The movement of the racks I3effects a pivotal movement of the spiders I9 connected therewith by means of the links H. The rocking movements of the spiders I9 effects a pivotal movement of the sectors I6 to position the desired type T thereon in the printing line, and also effects a rocking movement of the rockable members 36 on the shaft 37, which effects a pull on the arms 38 and on the links 39 against the tension of their springs 42. The movement of the link 39 causes a rocking movement of the bell-crank 44 and a downward movement of the leg 44 thereof, to carry the link 59 downwardly therewith and cause a rocking movement of the segments 53 connected to the upper end of the link 54 and a counter-clockwise pivotal movement of the indicator 34 coacting therewith.

It will be seen, that an indicator 34 is moved upon the movement of each rack I3 and Indicates the value of the key depressed in the bank controlling that rack.

A retainer 42 is provided for each indicator 34 and is pivotally carried on a transversely extending shaft 43, fixed in the side walls 22. These retainers 42 extend upwardly of the shaft 63 and are each provided with a hook-like portion 44 at their free ends, which normally serves to engage outwardly extending lugs 45' carried on the wall 59 of each of the indicators 34. The retainers 62 are each provided with a torsion spring 66, fixed thereto and to the shaft 43 that tends to urge them toward the lugs 65. The lower portion of the retainers 92 are provided with angularly depending portions 91 that are adapted to underlie a transversely extending blade member 49 pivotally carried at 69 on a rockable shaft 19 that is pivotally supported in the side walls 22. A spring 48a urges the blade member 64 upwardly against integral stop members II that project radially of the shaft Ill and which overlie the blade member 59. The free end IIla of the shaft III has an arm I2 fixed thereto which extends toward the rear of the machine and which has a connecting link 13 depending therefrom and connected to a bellcrank I4 that is pivotally carried on a stud I5 on the side wall 22. The bell-crank I4 has its other leg connected to a pull link I6 that is operatively connected to the actuator shaft A by means of an arm 11.

Assuming now that a key I I has been depressed and the actuator shaft A has been rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, (Fig. 3), the rack I3 will have moved until arrested by the depressed key and the spider I9 will be rocked thereby to position the corresponding type T of the sector I4 in the printing line, preparatory to an impact against the platen P, as is more clearly described in my pending application Ser. No. 56,465, filed December 28, 1935, for Printing mechanism.

The rocker arm 36 will carry the horizontal link 39 forwardly and rock the bell-crank 46 therewith, and exert a downward pull on the link 50 and a rocking movement of the sector 53 to turn the corresponding indicator 34 on the shaft 55 until a corresponding character and a character in diametrically opposed relation on the periphery of the indicator, is visible from the front and back of the cash register.

The retainers 62 will permit of a counterclockwise turning movement of the indicators and retain them against their springs 51 to the positions to which they have been advanced, until a new amount has been set up on the keyboard and the actuator shaft A rocked preparatory to positioning and printing the same, or when the actuator shaft A is rocked without a set-up in the keyboard.

The rocking movement of the actuator shaft A in a counter-clockwise direction exerts a push on the link I5 and a rocking movement of the bellcrank I4 on its pivot 15, which exerts a downward pull on the link I3 to cause a downward rocking movement of the arm I2 and rock the shaft III and blade member 83 downwardly 75 cal against the depending ends 61 of the retainers 62 and rock them on the shaft 88 with the hooklike ends 64 free of the lugs 65 to release the indicators and permit them to be spring-impelled by means of their springs 51 in a clockwise direction until the segment 53 engages the stop 6| to limit its movement.

The restoring movement of the actuator shaft A restores the bell-crank 14 and link 13 to rock the shaft 10 and carry the blade 68 upwardly. When the blade 68 engages the ends 61 of the retainers 62, the blade will rock against the tension of the spring 88a on its pivot 89 which permits the shaft 10 to move in advance thereof until the blade springs past the ends 51 of the retainers. This action positions the blade 88 readily engageable with the retainers for the next operation.

The release of the indicators which have been moved, is effected upon a partial starting movement of the actuator shaft A and permits of their being restored under the tension of their springs, prior to the setting up by depressing the keys.

A shell-like housing 18 encloses the mechanism and is provided with an opening I8 through which the keys I I extend and has the openings 8| and 82 respectively, in the front and back of the portion 88 of the housing that encloses the indicators 34 and which provides visibility to the duplicate characters that are diametrically opposed on the periphery of each indicator. A glass or other transparent material 83 is secured in each of the openings 8| and 82, through which the characters on the indicators are clearly visible.

The back wall a of the housing 18 is provided with an opening 84 into which a door 85 is positioned, and which is pivotally carried on the side walls 22, by means of the studs 86 and the hinge members 81 that are secured to the door 85.

The studs 86 are aligned with the pins 49 of the links 50 which are guided and movable with the door 85 by means of a cross-member 88 secured to the door, and which is provided with a plurality of slot openings 89, through which the upper ends of the links 58 extend. The indicators 34 must be returned to zero position by an idle operation of the machine either before opening the door or before it is closed to properly align the studs 5| of the links 58 with the slots 52 in the segments 53.

As the door 85 is opened, it will swing on the studs 86 and the links 58 will be carried therewith, swinging on their pivot pins 49, with the headed studs 5| on.the upper ends of the links carried out of the bifurcated portions 52 of the segments 53.

The door 85 is provided with an inwardly directed edge portion 80, which is adapted, when opened, to engage the arms 48 of the bell-cranks 46 and securely hold these bell-cranks in locked positions by means of the ends 380. of the links 39 engaging the cross-member 48.

other end removably attached to an indicator. and means supporting the link means forming means for. disconnecting said link means from the indicators.

' 2. In a cash register of the character described, comprising key controlled racks arranged for reciprocating movements, an indicator for each rack, connections including links and geared means operatively connecting the indicators with the racks, a swingable support, said links being removably connected with the geared means and slidably carried in said support whereby the swinging movement of said support will disconnect the links from the geared means.

3. In a cash register having key controlled mechanism, the combination of pivotally supported indicator units having characters thereon corresponding to the keys, connections including links and bell-cranks between the key controlled mechanism of the register and the indicator units for pivotally turning them to indicate the amonuts set up by the keys, a support swingable to a certain position, said links being each pivotally attached to a bell-crank and removably connected to the indicator. units and slidably carried in said support, said support forming means for disconnecting said links from the indicator units when swung to said certain position.

4. In a cash register having key-controlled racks carried for reciprocating movements, a shaft, pivotally mounted indicators on said shaft, connections operatively connecting an indicator with a rack, said connections including a bellcrank having a vertically disposed link pivotally carried thereon and which link has its free end removably attached to an indicator, swingable means guiding and supporting the links when moved by the bell-cranks to move the indicators under the control of the racks, said swingable means being pivotally carried axially of the pivotal center of the links and forming means for swinging the links for disconnecting them from the indicators when said links are in their normal positions, and means on said swingable means for swinging the bell-cranks for retaining them and the links aligned with the pivotal center of the swingable means when the swingable means is moved to disconnect the links from the indicators.

5. In a cash register of the character described having key-controlled racks arranged for reciprocating movements, an indicator operatively connected with each rack, said operative connections comprising substantially horizontally and vertically disposed links pivotally connected in pairs to a bell-crank, a support swingable to a certain position, said vertically disposed links being removably attached to the indicators and guided on said support, the pivotal center of said support being normally aligned with the pivotal centers of the vertical links, and means on the support arranged to engage and retain said bell-cranks in normal position when said support is swung to said certain position to detach said vertical links from the indicators.

6. In combination of claim 3 a housing for said machine and indicators'having an opening, the said swingable support to be a door for said opening, and additional means on said support for engaging, returning, and retaining said bell- 70 cranks in zero set position as said support is moved to the certain position.

' MAX GARBELL. 

